The British Podcast Awards is an annual awards ceremony intended to celebrate outstanding content within the British podcast scene. The British Podcast Awards is owned and operated by Haymarket Media Group, which also owns several media businesses, including Campaign, PRWeek, and PodPod.
History
Founders Hill and Deegan at the 2018 awards
The British Podcast Awards was cofounded in 2017 by Matt Hill, managing director of production company Rethink Audio, and Matt Deegan, creative director of audio content firm Folder Media. Deegan and Hill took on[clarification needed] the Australian Podcast Awards in 2019 and the Irish Podcasts Awards in 2022.[1][failed verification]
In 2022 Podcast Awards Ltd, the company that runs the British Podcast Awards was acquired by Haymarket Media Group. The British Podcast Awards will initially sit within Haymarket Business Media’s marketing communications portfolio, with plans to launch more podcast events internationally in 2023.[2]
PodPod, a new publication about the craft and business of podcasting,[3] was announced as the new partner of the British Podcast Awards in 2023.
2017
Chaired by Helen Zaltzman, the judging panel contained more than 50 independent members representing podcast creators, publishers, the press, listeners and audio industry executives. The awards received over 400 entries, spanning genres including TV, film, sport, comedy, true crime, and current affairs. The award ceremony, hosted by Olly Mann, took place in London in April 2017 with presenters including Edith Bowman, Grace Dent, and James Cooper from My Dad Wrote a Porno.[4]
They Walk Among Us - Benjamin Fitton and Rosanna Fitton
Untold: the Daniel Morgan Murder - Peter Jukes and Deeivya Meir
2018
The second British Podcast Awards saw the 50-strong judging panel, chaired by Nish Kumar, listening to over 1,000 hours of entries, with new categories created to recognise comedy, family and innovation. The 2018 awards were supported by acast, Radioplayer, Twitter, Muddy Knees Media, Podiant, Whistledown, IPDTL, Hindenburg Systems, Create Productions and Audible and Sony Music’s 4th Floor Creative.
The British Podcast Awards also partnered with The Guardian to create a five-part podcast series podcast to showcase the nominees.[5]
The ceremony, hosted by Olly Mann, took place in London in May 2018 and was attended by some of the biggest names in audio, including Simon Mayo, Mark Kermode, Jake Wood, Fi Glover, Josh Widdicombe and Fearne Cotton. The Listeners' Choice Award, won by Kermode and Mayo's Film Review, saw over 110,000 votes cast by the public.[6]
Murder Mile True-Crime Podcast - Michael J Buchanan-Dunne
S'laughter: True Crime Podcast - Lucy and Emma
The Assassination - Owen Bennett-Jones & Neal Razzell for BBC World Service
They Walk Among Us - Rosanna and Benjamin Fitton
2019
Entering its third year, the 2019 British Podcast Awards saw brand new categories, including acast Moment of the Year, Best Sex and Relationships podcast and the Bullseye Award supported by Podiant, alongside returning categories true crime, entertainment, interview, fiction and current affairs. The Bullseye Award honoured the podcasts that produce exceptional listening experiences for niche audiences and those under-represented in other British media.
On 8th April 2019, the nominations for the British Podcast Awards powered by DAX were streamed live on Twitter, with the podcasting stars of No Such Thing As A Fish revealing the top six podcasts nominated in each of the 15 categories.[7]
George The Poet, who entered his Have You Heard George's Podcast? declaring under 5000 listeners per episode, was the stand-out winner of the night, walking away with five awards, including Smartest, Best Arts & Culture, Best Fiction, Best New Podcast and was named Audioboom’s Podcast of the Year. Brexitcast, presented by Laura Kuenssberg, Chris Mason, Katya Adler and Adam Fleming, won the Listeners Choice award with 190,000 public votes cast. [9]
2019 Nominees and Winners
Winners in bold
Podcast Of The Year
Have You Heard George's Podcast? - George The Poet
Dead Man Talking - Peter Sale & Alex Hannaford - DMT Media & Audioboom
Death in Ice Valley - Neil McCarthy/Marit Higraff for BBC World Service/NRK
End Of Days - Ciaran Tracey & Chris Warburton for the BBC
RedHanded - Hannah Maguire & Suruthi Bala for Acast
The Doorstep Murder - Fiona Walker for BBC Scotland.
2020
The 2020 British Podcast Awards, in association with acast, took place digitally due to COVID-19 restrictions in the UK, with awards taken to winner’s doorsteps and a hamper of confetti cannons and treats for all nominees.
The 2020 nominees were chosen from over 1,000 entries, by over 50 judges, including the likes of Annie Mac, Katie Piper and Dustin Lance Black, with 2019 big winner George The Poet overseeing the process as chair of the judges.[10] New award categories for 2020 included Best Daily Podcast, Best Live Episode, Best Publisher or Network, Best Wellbeing Podcast and Best Podcast in the Welsh Language.
The Sound of Anger - Queen Mary Centre for the History of the Emotions
2021
In 2021 the British Podcast Awards, now in its fifth year and powered by Amazon Music, announced new categories, including Best Lockdown Podcast, Best Documentary Podcast and The International Award for overseas podcasts, suggested by the readers of the Great British Podcasts email newsletter.
The awards took place at an open-air London venue in July 2021 to reflect the COVID-19 restrictions on large indoor gatherings. Hosted by Jordan North, William Hanson and Poppy Jay, guest presenters included Fearne Cotton, Jessie Ware, Oti Mabuse, My Dad Wrote A Porno, Vick Hope, Dr Rangan Chatterjee, No Such Thing As A Fish and Deborah Frances-White.
Stolen Goodbyes won Best Lockdown podcast, which tells the stories of those who died from Covid-19 without having the chance to say goodbye. Best New podcast went to Field Recordings, a podcast transporting listeners to the great outdoors whilst being confined to their own homes.
The only award voted for by the public, the Listeners’ Choice Award saw over 140,000 votes cast. The top spot this year was won by true crime podcast Redhanded podcast, with Podcast Champion awarded to Fearne Cotton to recognise her work in the mental health and wellbeing space. VENT Documentaries, a podcast that shares the formative experiences of young people in the London borough of Brent picked up three awards – Smartest Podcast, Best Documentary and Podcast of the Year.
2021 Nominees and Winners
Winners in bold
Podcast Of The Year supported by Sony Music
* VENT Documentaries
BBC Sounds Listeners' Choice Award
* Redhanded Podcast
Spotify Podcast Champion
* Fearne Cotton
The Gold Award
Answer Me This!
Best Arts & Culture Podcast supported by Create Podcasts
More than 250 nominees in over 30 categories made the shortlist for the British Podcast Awards 2022. The judging panel, chaired by Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel, listened to 319 hours of podcasts from over 1,200 entries. Elis James and John Robins hosted the event, alongside Pandora Sykes, Jamie Laing, My Dad Wrote a Porno, Idris and Sabrina Elba, Poppy Jay, Jon Sopel, RedHanded, The Receipts’ Tolani Shoneye and Dr Rupy.
The Podcast Champion was awarded to the BBC podcast You, Me and the Big C. The award honoured the work of the late Dame Deborah James, Rachel Bland, Lauren Mahon and their entire team, whose podcast has contributed to public awareness and perception of cancer and cancer treatment.
BBC World Service podcast Dear Daughter won Best Family Podcast and the prestigious Podcast of the Year award. Dear Daughter hears letters written to daughters from around the world, which are often described by listeners as inspiring, poignant and funny.
The only award voted for by the public, The Listeners’ Choice Award, was won by the true-crime podcast RedHanded for a second time.
+44 Podcast with Zeze Millz and Sideman – So Incredible for Amazon Music
Chinese Chippy Girl
Coiled – Leanne Alie & Sylvie Carlos
Happy Place – Fearne Cotton
Masala Podcast – Sangeeta Pillai, Soul Sutras
Shagged Married Annoyed – Chris & Rosie Ramsey
Sweet Bobby – Tortoise Media
The Intelligence – The Economist
The Missing – What’s The Story Sound & Podimo for Amazon Music
Things Fell Apart – BBC Audio for BBC Radio 4
Best Arts & Culture Podcast Supported by PodBible
+44 Podcast with Zeze Millz and Sideman – So Incredible for Amazon Music
Activity Quest – Fun Kids
Beauty Fix – BBC Audio for BBC Sounds
FT Weekend – Financial Times
Have you Heard George’s Podcast? – BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds
James Acaster’s Perfect Sounds – BBC Sounds
Legends Fall In The Making – BBC Studio’s Factual Podcast Unit for 1Xtra
LPO Offstage – Tandem Production for the London Philharmonic Orchestra
Short History of… – Noiser
Talk Art – Russell Tovey and Robert Diament
Best Branded Content Podcast
Behind The Rings – Fresh Air Production & Audi UK
Forced to Flee – UNHCR
Lives on the Lines – Fresh Air Production & Greater Anglia Trains
LSE IQ – The LSE iQ Team
Puppy Podcast (Pets at Home) – John Brown for Pets at Home
Red Bull Basement Sessions – Red Bull
The Global Safety Podcast – Fresh Air Production & Lloyds Register Foundation
The Radio Times Podcast – Somethin’ Else for Immediate Media
You’re on Mute – Black Business Institute & 4DC
Youth Rising by NCS – Somethin’ Else for NCS
Best Business Podcast Supported by Subly
Being Freelance – Steve Folland
Money Clinic – Financial Times
Money Talks – The Economist
Ninetwentynine – Listen for Fiverr
Off The Agenda – Sir Charles Bowman & Edwin Danso
Social Minds – Social Chain
Tales from the Tannoy – Sayer Hamilton
The Little Questions – Apella Advisors
The REALWORK Podcast with Fleur Emery – Realwork
We Built This City – Roland Dransfield PR
Best Comedy Podcast Supported by Amazon Music
Cold Case Crime Cuts – unusual
Come Into My Kitchen – Ralph Jones and Daniel Nils Roberts
Drunk Women Solving Crime – Hannah George, Taylor Glenn and Catie Wilkins
Jamali Maddix: Spooky Shit – Novel for Audible
My Dad Wrote a Porno – Team Porno
The Skewer – unusual
The Staff Room Podcast – Harry Stachini
This is Gay – Kirk Flash
This Paranormal Life – Rory Powers & Kit Grier Mulvenna
Titting About – Listen for Audible
Best Current Affairs Podcast
Death by Conspiracy? – BBC Radio 4 for BBC Sounds
File on 4 – Long Form Audio Salford for BBC Radio 4
Media Storm – The House of the Guilty Feminist
The Big Steal – GML and Fresh Air Production
The Foreign Desk – Monocle 24
The Intelligence – The Economist
The Slow Newscast – Tortoise Media
The Week Junior Show – Fun Kids & The Week Junior
Today in Focus – The Guardian
Westminster Insider – Whistledown Productions for POLITICO Europe
Best Daily Podcast
COP26 Daily – The Big Light Podcast Network
Dan Snow’s History Hit – History Hit
Everyday Positivity – Kate Cocker for Volley
Shot & Chaser – Somethin’ Else for Spotify
The Intelligence – The Economist
The Monocle Daily – Monocle 24
The Santa Daily – Fun Kids & Devaweb
The Teamsheet – Audio Always for Spotify
Today in Focus – The Guardian
Wake Up Wind Down – Niall Breslin for Spotify
Best Documentary Podcast
Bias Diagnosis – Whistledown Productions for Audible
Brixton: Flames on the Frontline – BBC Radio Current Affairs for BBC Radio 5 Live
Freshwater, from Today in Focus – The Guardian
Harsh Reality – Novel for Wondery
Have You Heard George’s Podcast? – George the Poet for BBC Sounds & BBC Radio 5 Live
I’m Not a Monster – BBC News Longform Audio for BBC Radio 5 Live
Lecker: A Food Podcast – Lucy Dearlove for Lecker Kitchens
Sweet Bobby – Tortoise Media
The Coming Storm – BBC Radio 4
We Were Always Here – Broccoli Productions
Best Entertainment Podcast Supported by Create Podcasts
British Scandal – Wondery
Decode – Reduced Listening for Spotify
Desert Island Dicks – James Deacon
Elis James and John Robins – Audio Always for BBC Radio 5 Live
Feast is Feast with Big Zuu – Global
Nul Points – Martyn Williams & Laura Cress
Pressed – BBC Studios TalentWorks & Unheard Network for BBC Sounds
Shagged, Married, Annoyed – Chris & Rosie Ramsey
The Down Low – Ess & Bernie
You’re Dead to Me – The Athletic UK for BBC Radio 4
Best Family Podcast
Armchair Adventures – Made By Mortals
Bedtime Stories from Dreams – Audio Always for Dreams
Bottle Ship Adventures – Charly Conquest & Ben Mullins for Bedtime FM
The Confidence Fighter – Myrtle Mitchell
Dadvengers Podcast – Nigel Clarke & The London Podcast Company
Dear Daughter – BBC Long Form Audio for BBC World Service
Koko Sleep – Sleep With Sleepiest
Mother of All Solutions – Laura Broderick
Operation Ouch – Listen for Maverick TV
Super Great Kids’ Stories – Wardour Studio
Best Fiction Podcast
Atlantic: A Scottish Story – Noisemaker & The Big Light
Earth Eclipsed – The Lunar Company for Apollo Podcasts
Fully Amplified – Futures Theatre
Ignite Climate Shorts – Fierce Green Productions
King Frank and the Knights of the Eco Quest – Soundscape Productions for Fun Kids
Soundworlds – Patrick Eakin Young
The Ballad of Anne & Mary – Long Cat Media
The Magnus Archives – Rusty Quill
The Silt Verses – Eskew Productions
Wooden Overcoats
Best Interview Podcast Supported by Podfollow
A Gay and a Non Gay – James Barr and Dan Hudson
Chinese Chippy Girl
Coupledom with Idris and Sabrina Elba – Audible
Distraction Pieces: Where’s Your Head At? – Scroobius Pip
Full Disclosure with James O’Brien – Global
Masala Podcast – Sangeeta Pillai, Soul Sutras
Stories Of Our Times – The Times
Tales From The Tannoy – Sayer Hamilton
The Secret Life Of Prisons – Prison Radio Association
We Are Black Journos
Best Live Podcast
Bad People – BBC Audio Science for BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds
Cabinet Of Jazz – Loftus Media for Jazz FM
Drunk Women Solving Crime – Hannah George, Taylor Glenn and Catie Wilkins
Girls On Film Podcast – Anna Smith and Hedda Archbold
Nobody Panic – Plosive Podcasts
Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster – Plosive Podcasts
Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown – Pappy’s
The Empire Film Podcast – Bauer Media
The Guilty Feminist – Deborah Frances-White
The Moon Under Water – Audio Always
Best New Podcast
Call Me Mother – Novel
Decode – Reduced Listening for Spotify
Ignite Climate Shorts – Fierce Green Productions
MUBI Podcast – MUBI, Inc
Off The Beaten Jack – Jack Boswell
Outcast UK - Graeme Smith
Promenade – The Shift Podcast Network
Teach Me a Lesson with Greg James and Bella Mackie – Banana Stand for BBC Sounds
The Way We Are with Munroe Bergdorf – Mags Creative for Spotify
Yours Sincerely with Jess Phillips – Audio Always
Best Radio Podcast
A Wish For Afghanistan – BBC World Service
Homeschool History – The Athletic UK for BBC Radio 4
Legends Fall In The Making – BBC Studio’s Factual Podcast Unit for 1Xtra
Our Journey – Miranda Rae & Sound Women South West
Room 5 – Helena Merriman for BBC Radio 4 & BBC Sounds
Skin Tings – Bauer Media
The Great Post Office Trial – Whistledown Productions for BBC Radio 4
The Santa Daily – Fun Kids & Devaweb
The Skewer – unusual
Uncanny – Uncanny Media and Bafflegab Productions for BBC Radio 4
Best Sex & Relationships Podcast
A Gay and A NonGay – James Barr and Dan Hudson
Assume Nothing: Rape Trial – BBC Northern Ireland
F**ks Given – Crowd Network
Homo Sapiens – Spirit Studios
Life of Bi: A Slippery History of Bisexuality – Ell Potter and Mary Higgins
Millennial Love – The Independent
The Divorce Social with Samantha Baines – Samantha Baines
The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall – Andrew G. Marshall
The Receipts – Audrey, Tolani, Milena for Spotify
The Sexual Wellness Sessions – Kate Moyle
Smartest Podcast
A Thorough Examination with Drs Chris and Xand: Addicted To Food – Loftus Media
Decode – Reduced Listening for Spotify
Have You Heard George’s Podcast? – George the Poet for BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds
Lecker: A Food Podcast – Lucy Dearlove for Lecker Kitchens
Stephen Fry’s Edwardian Secrets – Stephen Fry and Testbed Productions for Audible
Tan France’s Queer Icons – 7digital for Audible
Teach Me A Lesson with Greg James and Bella Mackie – Banana Stand for BBC Sounds
The Tip Off – Maeve McClenaghan & Studio To Be
The Unfiltered History Tour – VICE World News
Year 21 – BBC News Northern Ireland
Best Sport Podcast
F1: Beyond the Grid – Audioboom Studios for Formula 1
Fight of the Century:Ali v Frazier – TBI Media for BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds
Following On – talkSPORT
Football Ramble Presents – Stak
Mark Andrews My Love Letter to Wrestling – BBC Wales for BBC Sounds
Race F1 Podcast – The Race Media for The Athletic
Tailenders – TBI Media for BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds
The Fake Paralympians – BBC Long Form Audio for BBC World Service
The Official Manchester United Podcast – Audio Always for Manchester United FC
The Teamsheet – Audio Always for Spotify
Best True Crime Podcast
American Vigilante – Crowd Network
Bad Cops – BBC Long Form Audio for BBC World Service
Battersea Poltergeist – Uncanny Media and Bafflegab Productions for BBC Radio 4
Seventeen Years: The Andrew Malkinson story – Stories of our times, The Times
Sweet Bobby – Tortoise Media
The Catch – Message Heard for Audible
The Lazarus Heist – BBC World Service
The Northern Bank Job – BBC Northern Ireland for BBC Radio 4 & BBC Sounds
Who Killed Emma – BBC Scotland Podcasts
Wild Crimes for the Natural History Museum – Whistledown Productions for the Natural History Museum
The Climate Award
Chattin’ Shit to Save the Planet
Common Threads – Ruth MacGilp and Alice Cruickshank
Get Birding – Peanut & Crumb
Great Green Questions – Mags Creative
Ignite Climate Shorts – Fierce Green Productions
The Long Time Academy – Headspace, The Long Time Project & Scenery Studios
Ocean Matters – Fresh Air Production & The Bertarelli Foundation
The Climate Question – BBC Long for Audio for BBC World Service
The SpaceShip Earth Podcast – Dan Burgess
Which? Investigates – Which?
Best Wellbeing Podcast
Built to Thrive – Listen for Amazon Music
Declassified – Michael Coates
Effin’ Hormones – Helen, Emma, Terri and Beena
Happy Place – Fearne Cotton
Homo Sapiens – Spirit Studios
Manatomy – Danny Wallace, Phil Hilton & Joe Attewell
Self Care Club – Lauren Mishcon & Nicole Goodman
The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast – Kate Moryoussef
The Merry Menopause Bookclub Podcast – Jo Fuller
Yours Sincerely, Jess Phillips – Audio Always
Best Welsh Podcast
Cwîns efo Mari a Meilir
Gwrachod Heddiw
Probcast
Sgwrsio
Siarad Secs
Best Network or Publisher
Audio Always
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC World Service
Financial Times
Fun Kids
History Hit
Mags Creative
Noiser
Stak
The Athletic
The Creativity Award supported by Audible
A Life More Wild – 18Sixty for Canopy & Stars
Assume Nothing: Rape Trial – BBC Northern Ireland
Have You Heard George’s Podcast? – George the Poet for BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds
Neutrinowatch – Martin Zaltz Austwick and Jeff Emtman
Operation Ouch! The Podcast of Everything – Listen for Maverick TV
Soundworlds – Patrick Eakin Young
Stories of our times – The Times
The Bias Diagnosis – Whistledown Productions for Audible
The Flock – A Ton Of Feathers
The Rez – Rezilience
Best Sales Team
Adelicious
Fresh Air Production
Message Heard Sales Team
Best Marketing Campaign
Anthems
Exactly. with Florence Given
Sweet Bobby
Best Commercial Campaign
Money Talks (Acast Creative & Klarna)
Comfort Eating with Grace Dent
Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour (Fun Kids)
BBC Sounds Rising Star
Amy Richards
Cara McGoogan
DJ Flight
Ella Saltmarshe
Georgie Ma
Kirk Flash
Marianna Spring
Meera Kumar
Michael Safi
Shivani Dave
The Spotlight Award
Bad Women – Pushkin Industries
British Scandal – Wondery
Fairy Meadow – BBC Audio Bristol and BBC News for BBC Radio 4
Newscast – BBC News
Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster – Plosive Podcasts
Real Dictators – Noiser
Rose & Rosie: Parental Guidance – BBC Studios Audio for Spotify
Short History Of… – Noiser
The Foreign Desk – Monocle 24
The High Performance Podcast – Jake Humphrey
The Bullseye Award
And Then Came Breast Cancer – Future Dreams & 6Foot6 Productions
Getting Emotional – Bex Lindsay
History Storytime – Sophie, Eleanor and Mark
Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future – Jimmy McLoughin OBE
Locked Up Living – Naomi Murphy & David Jones
Making Conversations Count – Podknows Productions & Wendy Ann Harris
Song by Song – Sam Pay and Martin Austwick
Talk Twenties – Gaby Mendes
The Proper Mental Podcast – Tom Davies
Ysbeidiau Heulog – Llwyd Owen & Leigh Jones
2023
Entries opened in January 2023 for the seventh British Podcast Awards which are returning in September 2023, in partnership with PodPod.[12]
The 2023 ceremony took place in central London and was attended by around 500 figures from the podcasting industry. The event was hosted by Zoe Lyons and Stephen Bailey, comedians and co-hosts of the Let's Talk About the Husband podcast. Partners for the event included BBC Sounds, Global, Audible, Amazon Music and Wondery, and Nomono, with each sponsoring a different category.
Judges from this year’s British Podcast Awards received over 1,000 submissions across 22 categories. The Podcast of The Year award was chosen by the judges from the Gold winners and went to BBC Radio Wales’ A Positive Life: HIV from Terrence Higgins to Today on the stories of people in the UK with HIV over the last 40 years.[13] The podcast also won Best Factual Podcast.
The Listener’s Choice Award, which received over 232,000 votes from podcast fans, went to true crime podcast RedHanded for the third consecutive year. Podcast Champion – which honours a podcast that has changed the landscape of the medium and made a real impact – went to Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally for their hit podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me.
2023 Nominees and Winners
Winners in bold
Podcast of the Year
A Positive Life: HIV from Terrence Higgins to Today[14]
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